The Emperor, not yet thirty years old, cheerfully acknowledged this with a great-uncle’s demeanor, laughing heartily as he asked Fu Tinghan, “When might we partake of the wedding banquet for my grand-nephew’s wife?”

Fu Tinghan glanced at Zhao Hanzhang before saying, “Once Hanzhang completes her mourning period, we’ll select an auspicious date.”

The Emperor repeatedly voiced his approval, raising his cup. “Then let us raise our cups to wish them harmony in marriage and a life together until old age.”

Everyone followed suit, raising their cups.

They drank until evening. When night deepened and dew grew heavy, Zhao Hanzhang rose unsteadily to take her leave.

Behind her, Zhao Erlang had long since drunk himself into a daze, his eyes glazed, requiring support from both Xun Xiu and Xie Shi to stand. The Emperor quickly had people escort them out of the palace.

Once they left the great hall, Zhao Hanzhang, who had been supported by Fu Tinghan, stood up straight. She exhaled and adjusted her sleeves. “Let’s go home.”

Zhao Erlang looked at her groggily, mumbling, “Elder Sister, you’re not drunk?”

Xie Shi scolded him, “Do you think everyone is as carefree as you? This is the imperial palace, with Gou Xi right there. How could you get drunk?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Even if this weren’t the palace, you shouldn’t get drunk. So young, yet so fond of drink?”

Once Zhao Hanzhang left, the Emperor also departed with the Empress. Other officials rose to take their leave as well. Gou Xi stood up but didn’t leave—instead, he turned to seek the Emperor.

He needed confirmation that the Emperor would definitely relocate the capital to Yuncheng.

Supporting the Empress, the Emperor returned to the rear palace, exhaling as he wearily lowered his eyelids.

Empress Liang helped him remove his outer garments. “Your Majesty must be tired. After drinking the sobering soup, you should rest.”

The Emperor agreed. After removing a layer of his heavy ceremonial robes, he reached out to hold her hand, smiling faintly. “Now that Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan’s marriage has been made public, you can rest easy, can’t you? As her great-uncle, I can hardly compete with my grand-nephew for a wife.”

Empress Liang pushed him lightly, chiding, “What are you saying?”

The Emperor held her hand and smiled. Thinking of the rumors he’d heard today, his expression cooled slightly. “However, that Chen Fulin can no longer be used. Such profit-seeking petty people only pursue power and are useless to the state.”

The sword hanging over Empress Liang’s neck had been removed. She truly breathed a sigh of relief. Leaning against the Emperor, she said softly, “Actually, if she could truly assist Your Majesty, I would be willing to step aside.” As long as she wasn’t killed, as long as she could remain by the Emperor’s side, she would be satisfied.

What she feared was that after being demoted from wife to concubine, the power struggles would become even more dangerous. The new Empress’s faction would not tolerate her, and the Liang clan lacked the power and ability to protect her.

The Emperor embraced her, sighing. “Rest assured, I will never depose you to marry another.”

Empress Liang’s nose stung with emotion. She hugged him tightly in return, softly responding, “Yes.”

The couple quietly embraced, rarely able to savor such tranquility. A palace attendant quietly entered, bowing. “Your Majesty, General Gou has arrived.”

The Emperor’s body stiffened. Both Emperor and Empress tensed. Even though Gou Xi was an official they relatively trusted, the Emperor still didn’t dare completely lower his guard.

The Empress looked at the Emperor somewhat nervously. “Your Majesty has already decided on Yuncheng. Why would he come seeking Your Majesty in the middle of the night?”

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll go see him,” the Emperor patted her back soothingly. He changed into another set of clothes to meet Gou Xi, which also appeared more intimate.

Although Zhao Hanzhang had feigned drunkenness, she had indeed drunk quite a bit. Once she sat in the carriage, she began drowsing in the swaying motion.

Seeing her barely able to sit steadily, Fu Tinghan reached out to rest her head on his shoulder, saying softly, “Sleep. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”

Zhao Hanzhang looked at him with hazy eyes, smiled faintly, and couldn’t help kissing him on the cheek before resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.

Fu Tinghan was slightly stunned, his face reddening, though the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curve upward.

Due to his intoxication, Zhao Erlang, who was sharing the carriage with them, watched with a blank expression. He looked at the smile on Fu Tinghan’s lips, then at his sister who seemed so comfortable leaning on his shoulder, and leaned over too. “Brother-in-law, I want to lean too.”

Fu Tinghan: …

He extended a finger to prop up Zhao Erlang’s approaching head. “You lean against the carriage wall.”

“No! When the carriage moves it hurts my head, and it’s noisy!” Zhao Erlang pulled Fu Tinghan’s finger away and pushed his head onto Fu Tinghan’s shoulder. “I want to be like Elder Sister too.”

Fu Tinghan helplessly adjusted his head. Seeing him fall asleep as soon as he leaned over, his full weight pressing on his shoulder, Fu Tinghan could only sigh and slightly adjust his sitting position to make him more comfortable.

Zhao Hanzhang, who had been pretending to sleep, couldn’t suppress the upward curve of her lips, her eyes and brows full of mirth.

Fu Tinghan, tilting his head back, didn’t see this. He even gently shifted her head to make her more comfortable.

In the swaying motion, her guard finally lowered, Zhao Hanzhang also drowsily fell asleep. Feeling her head grow heavier, Fu Tinghan realized she hadn’t actually been asleep before.

Fu Tinghan stroked her hair, smiling helplessly. When they arrived, he gently tapped the carriage wall.

Ting He poked her head in to look and was momentarily at a loss—whom should she help?

Fu Tinghan said, “Have Zeng Yue carry Erlang down.”

Ting He quietly acknowledged and had Zeng Yue come carry the sleeping Zhao Erlang down on his back.

Only then did Fu Tinghan move his somewhat numb shoulder. Just as he was about to lift Zhao Hanzhang, she opened her eyes.

The two looked at each other for a moment. Zhao Hanzhang closed her eyes again and wrapped her arms around his neck, refusing to move.

Fu Tinghan couldn’t help but laugh aloud. Shaking his head, he carried her down from the carriage and all the way back to the courtyard.

Zhao Hanzhang was still staying in her Qingyi Pavilion. She had good fortune—Qingyi Pavilion hadn’t burned, though the courtyard beside it had been completely demolished. Three or four meters beyond that was a patch of charred black where everything had burned.

All the flowers, grass, and trees in Qingyi Pavilion drooped their heads, scorched by the fire.

Fu Tinghan carried her back to the courtyard and placed her on the bed. He watched her for a while, and seeing she had no intention of opening her eyes again, he helped her remove her shoes and socks and covered her with the quilt. Before leaving, he couldn’t resist tapping her nose, saying softly, “Mischievous.”

As soon as the door closed, Zhao Hanzhang opened her eyes. She smiled, hugging the quilt and rolling over, wanting to continue sleeping. But after lying there a moment, she felt uncomfortable and sat up to remove her outer garments.

Ting He brought over sobering soup. She had been about to turn and leave when she heard movement and came back. After knocking, she entered to find her sitting cross-legged on the bed in only her inner garment. She hurried forward. “My Lady, it’s still cold now, and you’ve just been drinking. You mustn’t catch a chill.”

Zhao Hanzhang proactively reached for the sobering soup and drank it in one gulp. “I’m not cold. Go fetch a basin of warm water. I need to wash up.”

She rotated her neck. “How strange—I was so sleepy in the carriage, but now I’m completely alert.”

“It must be because good fortune brings good spirits,” Ting He said cheerfully. “This servant heard even from outside the hall—My Lady has been enfeoffed as Duke of Runan Commandery. From now on, all of Yuzhou belongs to My Lady.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s lips curved upward. “The fief is only in Runan. Yuzhou is because I became Governor—it’s not the same. I still need to work hard, otherwise the Governor position can be replaced.”

“In all the realm today, besides My Lady, who else could serve as Governor of Yuzhou?”

Zhao Hanzhang stroked her chin. “Ting He, you have great potential as a sycophant. You’ve made my heart bloom with joy.”

Ting He couldn’t help stamping her foot, chiding, “My Lady!”

Zhao Hanzhang burst into hearty laughter.